Duke Nuke For-never., 3D Realms shut down, DNF is DNF. Options

[Crushinator]

http://www.shacknews.com/featuredarticle.x?id=1127

I guess the dream has officially died. Art and in-game graphics are leaking now that the studio has been shuttered, check some out at Kotaku:

http://kotaku.com/5245883/duke-nukem-forev...3d-realms-grave

Weird becuase George Broussard had twittered about the game being near complete a few weeks ago, but c'est la vie. You can't keep dragging this shit on for over a decade and expect to keep getting funded forever.

EDIT: Even more concept and in-game models/stages have leaked here.

[AC9breaker]

Maaaaaaaaaaaan

I really hope 3D Realms can find some kind of backdoor way or loophole so that they can get Take-Two to let them finish up the game. We need a new Duke Nukem game. I thought they said it was 90% complete. I was seriously expecting Duke Nukem announcement at this years E3.

[Crushinator]

Damnit, that looked really cool. I agree, AC, I hope there's some loophole or some way that all the work they put into this doesn't just get flushed down the toilet. Even if Take-Two has to hand the game off to another internal team to finish it up.

[Crushinator]

In-game screens and full plot outline.

http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/news/46948/Du...ire-Plot-Leaked

[DarkEpyon]

Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. v. Apogee Software Ltd.

Take-Two Sues Apogee Over ‘Duke Nukem’ Game Sequel

Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., the maker of the “Grand Theft Auto” video games, sued Apogee Software Ltd.’s 3D Realms over the failed development of a sequel to the “Duke Nukem” game called “Duke Nukem Forever.”

Take-Two, owner of the publishing rights to the game, said Apogee breached an agreement to design the latest installment of Duke Nukem, a game in which the player “shoots” enemies. The new version has been under development since 1997, the company said yesterday in a complaint in a state court in Manhattan.

3D Realms, which was based in Garland, Texas, never produced the game and instead closed its studio on May 6, terminated development of the game and fired employees who had been involved in the Duke Nukem project, Take-Two said.

“Apogee continually delayed the completion date for the Duke Nukem Forever,” Take-Two said in the complaint. “Apogee repeatedly assured Take-Two and the video-gaming community that it was diligently working toward competing development of the PC Version of the Duke Nukem Forever.”

Take-Two said in 2000 it had an agreement with Apogee and paid $12 million for publishing rights to the forthcoming game. In 2007, the two companies entered into a second agreement.

The case is Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. v. Apogee Software Ltd. 601457/2009, New York State Supreme Court, New York County (Manhattan).

[Crushinator]

FULL RECOVERY!

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/03/duke-nuk...ected-next-yea/

The rumors are true, gearbox has picked up where 3D realms left off, and will finish development of DNF and bring it to all platforms that matter (PS3, 360, and PC) in 2011!

YEAH, PIECE OF SHIIIIIT. GONNA RIP EM A NEW ONE. SHAKE IT BABY.









HAIL TO THE KING, BABY!

[Scan_Man]

It is Gearbox so it could be awesome.


But, I look at this whole thing as basically as your typical reboot or revival of a series. The real Duke Nukem Forever, official sequel to Duke Nukem 3D, died when the creators/designers went their separate ways. It seems a little less authentic to me. It is just some new Duke game by a semi-related studio with Duke Nukem Forever slapped on as the title for recognition purposes. We, perhaps, will never experience the original vision the creators had in mind for Duke Nukem Forever.

Gearbox is a perfect fit for this series, though. So, I will check it out.

This post has been edited by Scan_Man: Sep 3 2010, 05:43 PM

[Maxx]

This thread is a rollercoaster ride of emotions.

[Crushinator]

It is Gearbox so it could be awesome.


But, I look at this whole thing as basically as your typical reboot or revival of a series. The real Duke Nukem Forever, official sequel to Duke Nukem 3D, died when the creators/designers went their separate ways. It seems a little less authentic to me. It is just some new Duke game by a semi-related studio with Duke Nukem Forever slapped on as the title for recognition purposes. We, perhaps, will never experience the original vision the creators had in mind for Duke Nukem Forever.

Gearbox is a perfect fit for this series, though. So, I will check it out.

Not quite, this game is using the same assets and design materials from the original DNF that 3D Realms didn't finish. If you watch the videos of the leaked material that came out after the game was "officially" cancelled, you can see a lot of the stages, monsters, and concepts are carried into the demo they showed off at PAX. Specifically the remake of the DN3D end boss, the monster truck sequence, and the models for the weapons.

It remains to be seen if any former 3D Realms staffers will come forth and dish the whole story on exactly what WILL have changed between what DNF's original product was going to be, and the Gearbox version we actually get to play next year. But the game itself is definitely not just a reboot created entirely by Gearbox.

[Scan_Man]

Indeed. That is what I like to know what changes have been made, or what is being added or taken out, along the way. Because the two original designers have long been gone. And the direction and vision can be totally different because of how many times the game changed hands. That is what I mean by a little less authentic. I acknowledge that there is authenticity in the use of said assets and design materials from the original version. But, what is the final product going to be? I want a freaking documentary on this whole thing. Cause I think it is an interesting piece of gaming history in the making.

This post has been edited by Scan_Man: Sep 8 2010, 04:45 PM

[Knightsword]

[Crushinator]

It's happenning, official release date: May 3rd, 2011!



"I'm gonna refinance my mortgage, and buy a new caaaaaar."

[Scan_Man]

Played the demo. My impressions.

The Duke Nukem aesthetics and humor are there. Also, the game has a glimmer of a 90s first-person shooter feel (Duke Nukem 3D, Doom, Quake, and Unreal). You know strafe around and shoot or get owned. Also, just the way Duke moves in this feels 90s. He has a bit of a sway and head-bob as he moves, as there is no weight added to him depending on the weapon he is holding like in most modern FPS. This is refreshing at first. I think this is what we, the fans, want out of this game.

However, Gearbox decided to add in FPS mechanics that are standard in your average 21ist century shooter for better or worse. The two minors, I think, are sprint and Aim Down Sights. Having these in a FPS today just feels natural, as in one familiar with 21ist century FPS will press the button to do them anyway even if they did not look at the controls. So, I think it is nice update to this "old school" FPS because the shooting, movement, and difficulty still retains it's 90s feel. The third mechanic from today FPS is Regenerative health. I don't like this one too much. Duke Nukem gameplay is about not getting hit by enemy fire, but if one takes damage one can find med kits, atomic health, armor, and steroids. These goodies littered through the stages was part of the exploration. Sure the game is still challenging in the 90s FPS way, but regenerative health makes it seem Gearbox slightly missed the mark here. Still, relatively easy to get over I think. The last mechanic, I absolutely hate, and sure will annoy many fans, is you can only carry two weapons at a time. Seriously, what the fuck?

I've played a ton of FPS games with this mechanic in the past tens years, from Halo to Modern Warfare to Bad Company 2, it never bothered me. To put it another way, when I pick up a FPS these days I think nothing of this mechanic. But, in Duke Nukem Forever it sticks out, and is quite bothersome. What benefit in Duke Nukem does only carrying two weapons have? I can't think of one that would make any sense for a Duke game. Realism? It's Duke Nukem! It is not suppose to be realistic at all! Also, last I checked Duke Nukem, and other 90s FPS, was about carrying a large assortment of crazy guns and using the ones the player thinks is most fun and then sometimes for specific tactical purposes. But here, at least in the demo, the player is going to pick the weapons that is most optimal for most situations. He/she is not going to pick up the fun weapons, like the Shrink Ray, because he needs long range sniping ability from a Rail Gun and a close range shotgun. With only a limited choice, the correct one is obvious. Therefore, the choice is an illusion, there is no choice. Ultimately there is not much point in having multiple weapons to pick up at a given moment because there is only two correct choices, while the rest are wrong. By extension to this, Duke also melee attack is so standard FPS too. No Mighty Boot! So very bad Gearbox! What corporate board meeting told you guys to play it so safe because "we have to sell it on consoles"?

Overall though I think the game will be fun. But, it is hard to overlook that Gearbox played it safe here by adding unnecessary 21ist century FPS mechanics. They had the chance to knock it out of the park by fully recreating a 90s style FPS game, but they fell short of that mark. What we end up with what seems like an average FPS, by today's standards, that feels mostly familiar with Call of Duty in control. And I argue Call of Duty does that style the best. So basically, the main draw to this game is going to come down to how well the Duke aesthetic and humor holds up throughout the game; which is not gameplay.

The shooting part of the gameplay is fun, but having to only choose between two weapons takes some of that fun out, since it is better to pick the two most optimal weapons. I think most of the fun of this type of game is the ability to blow shit up in crazy and silly ways and combinations with a large assortment of weapons. Frankly there is already a game out there that executes that way better, it's called Bulletstorm. And it is funny, that Bulletstorm seems more Duke Nukem than this current Duke Nukem iteration.

Bulletstorm, by the way, has Mighty Boot!

I'd say the one thing that could save this game from being average if there is a ton of hidden areas, with goodies and easter eggs, to explore. Otherwise it will just be a standard FPS that is a bit more challenging with the Duke Nukem aesthetic.

Still looking forward to finally playing this game though.

[Crushinator]

The 2 weapon thing is disappointing, you're right that carrying the big ass assortment of crazy weapons is a hallmark of 90s FPS and Duke 3D itself.

I always liked the pressure and creativity having limited ammo but a variety of weapons put on your in DN3D. I always play it on the 2nd hardest difficulty, and I love having to battle my way through with random shit like pipe bombs, freeze ray, etc.

Still excited to jump on this day 1 though.